Top 7 Benefits of Having Clear and Effective SharePoint Requirements

The following are seven top benefit’s in regard to clear and effective SharePoint requirements: 

1. Enhanced Collaboration and Communication:
• Effective collaboration and communication are essential in regard to success.
• SharePoint provides a robust platform which fosters collaboration among team members and facilitates seamless communication.
2. Streamlined Document Management:
• SharePoint simplifies document management via offering features such as centralized storage, version history, and metadata.
3. Increased Productivity and Efficiency:
• Clear requirements guide the development of customized workflows, automation, and task management.
4. Improved Access and Mobility:
• SharePoint’s cloud-based nature allows end users to access documents and collaborate from anywhere via any device.
5. Enhanced Security and Compliance:
• Properly defined requirements account for security aspects, including permissions, authentication, and data encryption.
6. Customization and Extensibility:
• Well-written requirements allow for customization of SharePoint sites, lists, integrations and forms to meet specific business needs.
7. Integration with Microsoft 365:
• SharePoint seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft tools such as Teams, OneDrive, Outlook and the Power Platform.

Top Benefits of Well Written SharePoint Requirements

The following are some of the top benefits of having well written SharePoint requirements:

1) Establish the basis for agreement between the stakeholders and the developers on what the product is to do

2) Reduce the development effort because less rework is required to address poorly written, missing, and misunderstood requirements

3) Provide a basis for estimating costs and schedules

4) Provide a baseline for verification and validation

5) Facilitate transfer between applicable teams whom will be completing work segments

6) Serve as a basis for future enhancements 

5 Aspects to Know about SharePoint Online

The following are five aspects about SharePoint Online to know about:

• Convenience and Affordability: SharePoint Online is accessible via  desktop, phone and within other M365 based applications. It also offers a fair cost based on its technology base.
• Add ons: SharePoint Online has several items one can utilize: https://appsource.microsoft.com/en-us/marketplace/apps?product=office%3bsharepoint&page=1&src=office&corrid=337f9e8f-054b-fb8f-9b50-84e43a74445a&omexanonuid=&referralurl= Additionally, one can build there own add ons if applicable.
• SharePoint Online Help:A lot of people don’t realize that in SharePoint Online the ? in the upper right hand corner of any page provides an extensive help. Also this help and learning site goes un-noticed and is very useful: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint
• Features: SharePoint Online has so many features that are available - especially many webparts and templates: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/using-web-parts-on-sharepoint-pages-336e8e92-3e2d-4298-ae01-d404bbe751e0 and https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/apply-and-customize-sharepoint-site-templates-39382463-0e45-4d1b-be27-0e96aeec8398#bkmk_apply-a-sharepoint-site-template. Also several list templates are available as well: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/list-templates-in-microsoft-365-62f0e4cf-d55d-4f89-906f-4a34e036ded1
• Community and Learning: SharePoint Online has a large community to utilize if needed as well as a lot of good starting documentation: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-sharepoint-blog/bg-p/SPBlog and https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/get-started-with-sharepoint-909ec2f0-05c8-4e92-8ad3-3f8b0b6cf261

7 Aspects Part of Closing Out a SharePoint Project

The following are seven aspects in regard to closing out a SharePoint project:

1) The system per the project specifications is functioning as desired

2) Document lessons learned

3) Create if applicable a final report of the project

4) Archive any data if applicable

5) Capture and discuss lessons learned

6) Perform technical review for those whom will be maintaining project outputs   

7) Formally close out project by satisfying success criteria

Top 4 Cost-Effectiveness of SharePoint as a Solution

The following are the top four aspects that are why SharePoint is cost effective:

1) Reduce the cost of constant risk via performance reduction. 

2) Reduce the risk of constant cost via performance reduction. 

3) Reduce the cost of constant performance via higher risks that must be accepted. 

4) Reduce the risk of constant performance via higher costs must be accepted.

Top 3 Key Features of SharePoint Online

The following are the top three key features of SharePoint Online:

1. Create a SharePoint Team Site in Seconds: One can swiftly create group-connected SharePoint team sites. When you create a group, Microsoft 365 provides the group with a shared inbox, a calendar, a OneNote notebook, a default place for files (the team site document library), and Planner for task management.
2. Customize Your Site’s Look and Brand: SharePoint enables one to tailor the appearance of a site to reflect there professional style and brand.
3. Document Management and Sharing: SharePoint serves as a central hub for storing, organizing, and sharing documents. It provides robust collaboration tools, including version control.

7 Key Project Phase Steps for a SharePoint Site

The following are the seven key project phases for a SharePoint site:

Concept Studies - in this stage one brainstorms ideas and wireframes them.

Concept & Development - in this stage one takes the brainstormed concept and starts to develop the needed content pieces. 

Preliminary Design & Completion - in this stage one starts to build the site from a content and design standpoint. 

Final Design - in this stage one finalizes the design aspects for the site.

Test Launch - in this stage one publishes the site for a core set of users to test.

Go-Live Launch - in this stage after aspects found in testing are completed, the final site is published and permissioned.

Closeout - in this stage, the project is closed as all documentation, budgets and other resource and project related items are fully completed.